Tuesday, October 03, 2006

October Crickets

I find crickets in October to be kind of bittersweet. Especially here in the upper Midwest, it is, well, difficult. It is a comforting sound, but it is also sad. You know that eventually the weather is going to freeze and the crickets will be dormant until the next spring. It is a wonderful sound, but a sound full of feeling that it cannot deliver upon.

Today it was warm. Tonight there are crickets. I wonder how much longer they will be around. Soon, they will be gone.

Today, at work, I was listening in on the conversation of some of my co-workers. It kind of made me sad. They were talking about gays.

The guy said that he really didn't mind "them" as long as they didn't hit on him.

I got to thinking. He probably considers himself very open and hip. But what he said is still homophobic. How would he like it if he had to worry that every time he talked to a woman, she just might deck him or maybe even try to kill him.

And then another guy said something about "and then they get so mad if you say that they chose to be gay."

Then the first said, "And why do they have to talk about it all the time?"

I probably should have called them on it. But I just sat there and said nothing.

I am shocked how much heterosexism permeates our society. If I were to do to Nick in public what I see others do in public, we would probably be in jail. But for the hets, it is ok.

Arrggg....

The job is interesting. I am getting paid to sit in class, learn about 20 minutes worth the stuff, and play computer games for the rest of the time. I guess I would rather get paid almost $17 per hour to play games there than to sit at home and do it for nothing.

6 comments:

Ur-spo said...

i agree with you about the bittersweet sound of autumn crickets.
I miss them.

Lemuel said...

sign me up!

bear said...

Yeah, I think the autumn makes many sad...but then there's the holidays soon! Woohoo - presents!
Gay remarks...typical. I've come to realize that most straight people are 1) clueless about gays 2) homophobic and don't realize it 3) make it into an US/THEM issue.
The worst part and most frustrating part for us is, there is no effort on their part to educate themselves about it or change their opinions on it.
When I did come out finally, I think some were worried they said stupid things (like this) in my presence because they realized now, it was all not true and were embarrassed. I don't expect them to change just because you out yourself so let them talk, you know who to watch out for at least...

Doug Taron said...

Your comments about the crickets remind me of my favorite passage from a book that I have loved since childhood:

The crickets sang in the grasses. They sang the song of summer's ending, a sad, monotonous song. "Summer is over and gone," they sang. "Over and gone, over and gone. Summer is dying, dying."
The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last forever. Even on the most beautiful days in the whole year--the days when summer is changing into fall--the crickets spread the rumor of sadness and change.
Everybody heard the song of the crickets. Avery and Fern Arable heard it as they walked the dusty road. They knew that school would soon begin again. The young geese heard it and knew that they would never be little goslings again. Charlotte heard it and knew that she hadn't much time left. Mrs. Zuckerman, at work in the kitchen, heard the crickets, and a sadness came over her, too. "Another summer gone," she sighed. Lurvy, at work building a crate for Wilbur, heard the song and knew it was time to dig potatoes.
"Summer is over and gone," repeated the crickets. "How many nights till frost?" sang the crickets. "good-bye, summer, good-bye, good-bye."

From Charlotte's Web

Mo and The Purries said...

Hi, haven't been here in a few days.
Love the new template!
I, too, find the last crickets of the year to be bittersweet.

Next time, just walk behind the gay-dishing hets and pinch one of 'em on the ass -- that'll teach 'em!

Unknown said...

The irony is thick...you are the gay man quietly listening to two presumably straight people talking about how gays "talk about it all the time."

I am with you. I have been in that spot and wondered if I should say something myself. I didn't. Later I actually felt sorrow for them, considering that they lack the compassion and tenderness that people who have been through this now profit from.

Hang in there Dr. Benton Quest.